


Heart of Stone

by SignificantlySimon



Series: Flares [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: Alcohol, Daddy Issues, Drunk Sex, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-05-19 21:40:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19364539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SignificantlySimon/pseuds/SignificantlySimon
Summary: ‘I can breathe water.’He repeats it in his mind like a mantra with every swing of his sword. With these words, he makes himself believe that he can do anything. No path is too long, no mountain too high.He swings again at his opponent, harder this time. It knocks the young woman in a chest plate over onto her side. He hears her gasp for breath as that blow was enough to knock the wind out of a man twice her size. He hears someone clap from behind him and he turns his head to see the Prince of the Seven United Lands standing there in his suit with a proud smile on his face.Durbe reaches down a hand to help the young woman up and she takes it readily and thanks him for the training match. She walks away to collect herself.“I can breathe water,” he says out loud, still panting as he turns back to the Prince.





	1. Prologue

 

In the easternmost, mountainous regions of Donasus where the cliffs gave way to the sea, a little boy sat at his mother’s bedside.

It was time for him to say “goodbye”. 

“I’ll make you proud mom. I promise,” he cried.

She couldn’t hear him. She was already gone.

The boy stayed there with her, crying into her chest until his father became bothered by the noise and came into the room. His footsteps were uneven and heavy on the floorboards. His grip was far too harsh as he tore his son away from his wife and threw him on the floor. He pulled him by the collar out of the room and slammed the door behind him.

The boy’s legs gave out and he collapsed on the floor.

Just as the sun began to set, the boy was handed a torch to light his mother’s funeral pyre. The sprigs of Juniper caught easily as he laid the torch on top of her chest and backed away slowly. There were no more tears for him left to cry anymore.

Not now, not ever.

He stood for hours in a silent vigil for his mother. He stayed after everyone left and followed the lead of the undertakers as they placed more logs onto the fire. Before he knew it the sun began to rise and the fire had died down. His mother’s bones had become visible and were blackened from the ash. When no one was looking he took a small glass vial out of his pocket and a piece of what he assumed to be her skull. He found it morbidly easy to crush the bone into a chunky powder and place it into the vial which he then placed a cork on tightly and stuffed back into his pocket.

“I’ll make you proud, mom,” he whispered with his hand over his pocket. “You’ll just have to come along with me so you can see.”

*

*

*

_ “Any of ya hear about the youngest member of the Guard?” _

_ “Ain’t he sittin’ right there?” _

Durbe sat across the practically empty common room of the Guard’s Quarters. It was one of the few completed parts of the palace and as soon as it became habitable, the allowed those who had already been inducted informally to move in with what possessions they had permanently. Durbe was one of the first to choose a room and move in. He spent quite a bit of his time in the common room and kept to himself in the corner by the small window. The guards quarters was directly under the soon-to-be throne room and had an entryway into the hallway around the side of it, behind the ‘almost’ Chapel.

He couldn’t wait for construction to be complete. Workers around the clock spent their time tirelessly laying stones and mortar. It was good because it hurried things but it also made it extremely hard to get a good night’s sleep. Every time he closed his eyes after work was done there was a series of loud bangs from stones being laid in their proper places.

_ “I heard he’s even in the running for First Knight.” _

_ “Serves him well, we were in training together. You should see the kid fight… Fuckin brutal.” _

Durbe hated to admit he involved himself in gossip by listening absentmindedly to conversations like this but when one’s name is mentioned in a positive light, it's hard not to listen. 

_ “-deciding as soon as the possible candidates for the crown are able to be together.” _

_ “It’s important, you’d think they’d all be on hand, ya know?” _

_ “Well, the kid from Donasus was in Jenira for the summer. One of the two from Delunos has a long way to travel and I think the kid from Pelia is sailing.” _

_ “Isn’t he the one who survived the Revolt? There’s no way in hell he’s able to keep steady. I saw him when he was first brought to the Capital. He was near death.” _

_ “That was three years ago when he came to seek better treatment. Apparently, he’s almost normal now.” _

This was something interesting and new news to Durbe. He had no idea that he was even considered for the position of First Knight. He forced the smile back down where it came from and continued to pretend he was reading whatever book he pulled out of his suitcase.

_ “My money is on the kid from Donasus. His grandfather was the former king.” _

_ “I doubt people would choose him for that reason. The kid from Pelia has a twin. They stick her in the religious part of this mess they’re creating and they could easily combine church and state.” _

_ “You really don’t like this merger do you, Merrick?” _

_ “Not at fucking all. Look at what happened to my family. We’re poor as dirt now. Fuckin’ tax reforms took us up the ass. It's destroyed my marriage too.” _

_ “Fuck, man. Sorry to hear about that.” _

_ “You sure it wasn’t the fact you decided to try out for the guard? My man’s left me because of the distance after I got in.” _

_ “Absolutely not. I came because she told me to for money. Now she’s left me for some other man.” _

Durbe managed to steal a quick glance at the three gathered across the room. Merrick, Anaya, and Marcell. He was commonly paired with Anaya at the guardhouse. She was good at her job and took it seriously. Marcell used his status as a Royal Guard member to pick up whatever woman he could find in his off time. This was something Durbe detested. This job was about carrying yourself professionally and definitely not bringing women who scream every other night into the guard’s quarters.

The more he thought about it, the more Durbe wanted that First Knight position regardless of who the Emperor was going to be. That meant he got his own room once the upstairs was completed. No obnoxious roommates and no more stepping around other people’s lives.

Durbe closed the book in his hands and head into his bedroom to attempt to get some sleep. The night shift had not been kind to him and threw off everything in his body. He entered his room and closed and locked the door. His previous roommate had moved out and chosen another room across the way after he discovered he got along better with someone else. Durbe was fine with this. He could sleep his days off away in peace.

It took another week for someone to even come forward and tell him that he was even being considered for the position. Now, with the knowledge, he wanted it even more. He took extra care and ensured he performed his duties as expected if not better than. He spent extra time in the sparring room training should there be an exam needed but he had the confidence he would pass it.

Even without the extra training, Durbe knew he was good at what he did. He was strong, stronger than most of the other guards. He had the benefit of youth on his side too. He played every congratulatory mention to him off humbly as to not seem cocky as the others in the running did. This was an added benefit he assumed helped make his case more convincing than most.

He was humble, stoic, strong, and best of all feared.

If the other members saw him in the sparring room they backed away and clutched their dulled training swords tighter. The room fell silent as he walked in and people tended to move and make space for him at suppertime.

It was only his commanding officer who seemed unphased by the fear he assumed he instilled. She was a tall dark-skinned woman with long, black, kinky hair. She usually took hours braiding it out of the way so it would fit under the uniform standard berets. She treated Durbe sort of like a son. At least as close as she could get without adding a "conflict of interest". She looked at him as if a proud mother would every time he beat someone in the sparring room.

"How's everything, Durbe?" She asked him as he sat down with a plate of supper.

"Fine. Noticed people started backing away from me more. It's gotten quieter around me."

"Ahh fuck them. Is this about the whole first knight thing?"

"I think so."

"They're just jealous you've actually got a fighting chance at this. I think you're number one in the running if I'm being honest."

"Why is that?"

"Rumor has it, the boy from Pelia is going to get picked. He's the youngest. They need someone closer to his age. It only makes sense."

"Bea, look. If my age is the only thing that's going to get me the position, I don't want it. I want to earn it. I don't want it handed to me."

"Watch your tone,” she scolded. “It’s not just your age, Durbe. It’s your vigilance. You caught that mason worker who tried to launch an attack on one of the council members before anyone suspected a thing. What did you do afterward?”

Durbe took a rather large bite of his food right as she asked him the question. None of which were ever rhetorical. “Instituted a method of screening the workers,” He replied once he swallowed a mouthful of food.

“Right. And look, you and I are outsiders to everyone else here. You’re younger by seven years to most of them. I’m just-.” She took a bite of food. “Too black, I guess.”

“You know, its interesting you bring up the color of your skin before you bring up the fact you’re probably ostracized because you’re a woman. I don’t care obviously, but it disgusts me how others still see you as inferior despite the fact you could bury them before they say your name.”

She laughed and punched him in the arm lightly. “Well, fuck Durbe. Why don’t you analyze why I fucking ended up here in the first place.”

He enjoyed her company. It made things slightly less quiet around the Guard’s Quarters.

“So hypothetically speaking, if I get this position, I’ll be your boss.”

“Guess so,” she replied.

Durbe chuckled. “I’ll give you the biggest raise I possibly can.”

“Isn’t that a little unethical?”

“What’s unethical is that they decide to pay you less than other commanding officers.”

She hummed in response and let the conversation fall. The wage gap within the Royal Guard was the first thing he’d fix. It wasn’t only Bea, but every other member of the Guard with color, further separated by sex. Frankly, it was disgusting.

They both finished their supper and Durbe reached for her empty plate so he could hand it to one of the wait staff to clean and put away until later. He bid Bea a good night and head into his room to change into his uniform. He worked the night shift and while it messed up his sleep schedule, he preferred it that way. His assignment tonight was at the front door. The bottom floor of the palace was mostly complete at this point there were just a few finishing touches that needed to be completed. With the new parts of the palace being complete, they needed security to protect the important people inside. He left promptly as to not be late and was pleasantly surprised to find he made it there first. He had no idea who he was being placed with tonight and prayed it wasn’t Marcell. The man never shut up.

He couldn’t help but sigh when he saw the man in question walk towards him from the guardhouse on the bridge.

He readied himself for one of the longest nights he could possibly imagine.

As expected, the shift dragged on and he found himself more exhausted than usual when he reached his room and stripped off his uniform. He didn’t bother to put on nightclothes and simply locked the door behind himself. His former roommate found better lodging with another and left Durbe alone. It was better this way. He fell asleep quickly.

It felt like he had just closed his eyes when he heard a loud bang at the door.

“Durbe, up,” Bea commanded from the other side of the door.

Durbe had never gotten out of bed so quickly. He slipped a pair of possibly dirty trousers and a blouse before he threw open the door.

“Yes?” he asked.

“Change into the best suit you have and come with me. They’re making the decision as soon as possible.”

Durbe nodded and closed the door behind him. He felt every fiber of his body wake in that instant. He felt lighter as he rummaged through his closet to find his suit hanging in its place untouched. He straightened his tie as he opened the door and walked at Bea’s side out of the Guard’s Quarters. Others looked on in silence.

As soon as they closed the door behind him, Dirbe noticed Bea wasn't in her uniform. She wore an emerald green ball gown and her hair had been taken out of its braids. She straightened it so it fell elegantly and long down her chest.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with your hair down, Bea,” Durbe said.

“I don’t think I’ve ever worn it down around here,” she said.

It didn’t take long for the pair to reach the doors to the now complete throne room. She put her hand up to stop the guards from opening the doors and turned to him. She straightened his tie and fixed his hair. After she was finished, she placed her hands on his shoulders.

“Whatever happens, Durbe, know that I am unbelievably proud of you. I will always be proud of you.”

He opened his arms and embraced her quickly. He thanked her and made a mental note that she really did sound like a mother sometimes. They let go of each other and Bea let the guards open the doors. They walked inside side by side and Durbe noticed there was an overwhelming amount of people gathered there.

He took his place as directed, on the right side of the room, across from those in consideration for the throne. Bea stood close behind him and pointed out all of those in consideration. Across from him, the boy from Pelia stood next to his twin sister. He was small, shorter than her and looked around the room in wonder. If the rumors were true, this was the nicest place the boy had ever been in. The seafoam green rug that stretched from the door to the steps leading up to the throne and the banners above the throne were elegantly crafted and dyed. The large skylight above them stretched the entire length of the ceiling. This was the first time Durbe stepped foot in the completed room and took in every magnificent sight of it.

“-a priestess. The seminary must be rough for a young girl. Its a shame they made her go so young.”

Durbe hadn’t even noticed he tuned Bea out completely. 

“If I can have your attention please,” a man at the front of the room announced as he stepped forward.

The members of the Royal Guard stood at attention in unison and the room fell silent. Durbe heard his heart pounding in his ears. This was it. This decision could change the rest of his life. His story would go down in history as a Phoenix. Durbe, the man who rose himself out fo the askes and into glory. 

“We will try our best to keep this meeting short but a decision has been made.”

The man walked on the platform over to the side of the room where the Guard members were.

“The gentlemen and ladies of the Royal Guard on my left. You have shown your bravery and esteem in serving the young man that will take the crown in a few years time. However, only one of you can serve as his First Knight.”

Durbe felt his heart skip as the man paused.

“Durbe Galanos. Congratulations.”

The room erupted in applause and despite having to keep the unwavering facade of a Royal Guard member, Durbe bent over and placed his head in his hands. He felt the telltale tightness of his throat but swallowed it down. Today was the start of the rest of his life. He’d prove to everyone that He could amount to something, regardless of what they thought. He’d be the best damn First Knight there ever was and ever could be.

“Congratulations, First Knight,” Bea told him as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you,” he said to her. It was all he could manage.

The man at the front of the room put his hand up to silence the room and the royal guards went back to their former positions and stood at attention once more. The name of their future Emperor was going to be announced, after all.

The man at the front of the room turned behind himself and looked at another man. “Basil, will you do the honors?”

Another man stepped forward with a proud smile on his face. His hair was turning grey as was his beard but hints of purple and aqua were still present. “It is my honor to announce the first Emperor of the Seven United Lands.”

He paused and turned to the young people on the other side of the room.

“My son, Nasch McAine.”

The room erupted in applause once more, this time louder than before. Durbe watched as the boy across from him turned to hug his sister and then was lifted off of his feet by his father who ran from the front of the room to be with his son.

“I am so unbelievably proud of you, Durbe. Go see if you can meet him. You’ll be serving him for the rest of your life, after all,” Bea said. She winked at him and nudged him forward. 

He walked towards the boy slowly, avoiding the crowd that gathered around him. He reached him just as Nasch was placed back on his feet. Amid the numerous congratulations that were given to him, Nasch still turned to shake Durbe’s hand and congratulate him too.

“I’m Nasch,” he said. “This is my sister, Merag. Apparently, she’s going to be the Almighty High Priestess.”

“Durbe,” he replied. “Your new First Knight.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Nasch was then dragged off by his father. He turned back around and waved at Durbe who smiled at him and waved it back.

He seemed like a sweet boy and hoped that the rigorous training he was about to go through wouldn’t break him completely. He had been through enough already if the rumors were true.

“So Durbe.” Bea appeared behind him with her arms folded across her chest. “I’m kicking you out of the Guard’s Quarters tonight. Well, after the ball, of course” she said with a smile.

“Ball?”

“For you. A celebration.”

"I've never had anything like this before."

"You've been through the chivalry training. You know what to do. Bow and be reverent and all that."

Durbe sighed and nodded. "Right. I've just received the news of my life and I still have to focus on acting chivalrous."

"It only gets worse from here as your training kicks in," she laughed.

The pair turned and followed the crowd from the throne room, and into the dining room which apparently was also complete. He was overwhelmed with the number of people that surrounded him to shake his hand. He became a celebrity in an instant.

He and Bea were directed to their seats at the opposite end of the table from their soon-to-be Prince. He was delighted to find people wanted to talk to him for the first time ever. He smiled and relaxed slightly as the first course was brought out.

_ ‘I did it, Mom, just you watch me go farther.’ _


	2. Whiskey

The next time Durbe saw Nasch it was at his naming ceremony. Nasch, then at 16, in the heat of the summer was named the first Prince of the Seven United Lands in a grand ceremony that proved to be far more than the young man could handle. He collapsed after he was presented to his people in the quiet of the near empty throne room.  Durbe, as his First Knight, was the one who stood closest and the one to attempt to catch him before he hit the floor.

He failed miserably at this and the young Prince's head hit the marble flooring with a loud thud. If he wasn't dead before he hit the floor, there sure was a chance he was afterwards. The guards in the room fell silent at the noise and turned to look at the poor state their Prince was in. None of them moved though as an unconscious Prince was not something they knew how to deal with.

However, Nasch opened his eyes slowly and sat up seemingly in agony. He was trembling and sweating in a way that Durbe swore he saw before but couldn’t place. He brushed it off and assumed it was similar to when the guards in training were positively exhausted and overworked. But there was something about the way Nasch trembled and looked around in a panic that made it different.

Before Durbe had the chance to think about this more, maids rushed at Nasch with water and cold, damp rags. They helped him take off the suit jacket and vest. They quickly unfastened the first few buttons of his white dress shirt. An older woman, the head maid, placed a rag on the back of his neck and whispered something that made the Prince snicker and chuckle.

"It's too damn hot," Nasch said.

"Right," Durbe said under his breath. The heat and dark colored, wool suits never mixed. That was it.

The maids bowed at him and took their exit quickly. It was unheard of for maids to even look royalty in the eye but somehow, in some way Nasch welcomed it. As a matter of fact, Nasch welcomed many unorthodox practices. He insisted to meet each new member of the Royal Guard as they were accepted and knew each member around the palace by name. He insisted that if he wasn't in the presence of important guests that they even call him by his name, not the title. Durbe was sure he knew each staff member too, come to think of it.

He most definitely was not how one would expect the future first Emperor to be. He made himself more approachable, more involved than one would expect. Durbe thought this was particularly admirable of him. He was proud to be his First Knight.

Durbe was the one to step forward and offer his hand to help him up. Nasch took it and stood slowly. Durbe definitely did not expect words of thanks from him, nor did he expect the near perfect smile that fell from his lips.

Nasch bent down to retrieve the vest and suit jacket and pieced his outfit back together, still trembling. He could have been overwhelmed. It made sense. Nasch was from the middle of nowhere and suddenly everyone wanted to see him. Durbe couldn't imagine a change in lifestyle that rapidly. But there was still something off about Nasch as he struggled to button his vest.

"You'd think they wouldn't have put it on the floor considering how expensive it is," Nasch laughed.

He seemed slightly hollow, like he was present but not entirely.

All Durbe could manage was a smile. He wasn't sure if he could get used to the sheer amount of casuality that Nasch exuded. After a bit more time for recovery, both of them head from the Throne Room and into the Dining Room for an extravagant supper. Afterwards, there was a ball with loud music and dancing as to be expected for the new Prince.

If there was one more thing Durbe noticed about Nasch, it was this strange ritual he performed with the ring on his middle finger before he shook hands with most of the men in the room. It seemed like he would turn the gem facing inwards before he shook hands with someone. Durbe made a note in his mind to ask him about it later on.

Another thing that Durbe noticed was that Nasch was excellent at switching back and forth between "personalities". Depending on who he talked to, he was able to cater himself more to their morals and interests.

At the end of the night, Nasch bid goodnight to those who attended and promptly head up to the Royal Rooms to his bedroom. Durbe left shortly after and figured he'd stop in briefly to speak with the Prince before he went to bed.

He knocked softly on the door and was pleasantly surprised when he heard Nasch yell from inside that it was unlocked. He entered to find Nasch seated at a table in the far end of the room. He took a moment to take in the Prince's bedroom while he had the chance to. The ceiling was slightly vaulted and the stonework on it was fantastic. The marble floor beneath his feet had no flaws in it and the particularly expensive looking rug in the center of the room was extravagantly designed and woven. Durbe particularly liked the combination of blue and gold in it's somewhat floral pattern.

"Nice, isn't it?" Nasch said. He closed his book and rose from his seat in the plush armchair by the unlit fireplace.

"Much nicer than mine," Durbe said. "Fitting for a Prince. Very fitting."

"How many years has it been since I've seen you?" Nasch asked.

"Five, I believe," Durbe replied. "When the decision was made and all."

Nasch walked towards him with open arms and a smile. He embraced him quickly. The tutors had done well by him. There was no evidence of the squalor he was born into in the way he acted.

"I feel like a different person entirely," Nasch sighed.

"That's understandable," Durbe replied.

"Five years is a long time. I don't think we've even had a proper conversation," the Prince said.

"You were carried off by your father to the dinner where we sat on opposite ends of the dining room... If I recall correctly."

"He was so proud, wasn't he?"

"How couldn't he be?"

Both of his children were practically lifted from poverty and chosen to lead the soon-to-be united nations. This was set to happen on Nasch's eighteenth birthday, the same day he was to be Crowned Emperor.

Nasch turned around and took two small glasses which he poured a generous amount of alcohol into. He handed one to Durbe before he invited him to sit by the fireplace.

"I didn't even ask if you liked whiskey," Nasch chuckled.

"Never had it."

Nasch turned at him, wide-eyed with shock. "Never had whiskey?"

"Never had anything stronger than wine, really," Durbe replied. "Never really had time."

Nasch took a large drink from his glass and took the one he handed Durbe out of his hands to top off his own with it. He handed it back with much less that it originally had. This was probably for the best.

Durbe took a sip from his glass. It burned his throat as he swallowed but he'd be a liar if he said it wasn't smooth. The taste wasn't bad but he'd be a filthy liar if he said it was good. He must have made a face at it because he heard the Prince laugh from his armchair.

"Not good?" Nasch asked.

"Just something that'll take some getting used to," Durbe replied.

"Whiskey is probably the only thing that'll follow me from my sailing days. Now I can afford better bottles too. Better than the stuff Kellem and I used to get."

"Kellem?"

"My best friend since we were toddlers. He convinced me to sail in the first place."

Durbe took another drink. This time, he knew what to expect though so he didn't make a face.

"I think it's clever what you did. How you got to sail for nearly 6 years," Durbe stated.

"Oh the whole 'well-traveled' thing? I mean I used it just so I could go but I think it actually helped. I know what regions are more conservitave. I know most major cities and where they are. I dunno if it'll help me in the long run but it sure helped me tonight."

"I'll say," Durbe replied. It was here he was reminded of the ring trick that Nasch had done when he was greeting people. There was no better time to ask about it than now. "Say, what was thing thing you were doing with your ring?"

"What thing?" Nasch asked him. 

This was where Durbe noticed that Nasch’s speech had gone slightly slurred because of the whiskey in his system. He supposed he didn’t sound much different.

"You'd twist it before you shook hands with some people."

Nasch thought for a moment and Durbe realized the alcohol was taking it's hold on him. He felt his shoulders relax and he leaned back in the chair.

"Where are you from, again?" Nasch asked him.

"Donasus."

"Not important," Nasch replied.

"I'm just curious."

Nasch took another moment to think, this one slightly longer than the first as the alcohol had started to take a toll. He shuffled his seat and finished his rather large glass before he decided to give Durbe the reply he wanted.

"Trying to get laid," Nasch mumbled.

"Wait. Men?"

"Unfortunately."

People from Donasus had the stereotype of being conservitave to the point of being too uptight. Durbe, however, wasn't raised like this. As soon as he got the chance, he ran away from home and lived on his own. He trained hard to be where he was and dammit, he was almost certain he didn't carry the same reputation. Apparently, that was not true.

"You can leave if you'd like," Nasch said.

With Nasch’s reply Durbe realized he’d been quiet for longer than he should have. "No I don't mind, I'm just-... Really drunk."

Nasch laughed. "You have no tolerance, do you?"

"I said I'd never had anything stronger than ale. Did I?"

"Maybe."

"And I might be from Donasus but I haven't been back to my hometown since I left. Basically, I don't fit into the 'stereotypical conservative' mold."

"You never went back home?"

 "Nothing left for me there."

"Friends?"

Durbe shook his head.

"No family?"

"None that I really want to associate with."

Nasch hummed in acknowledgement. This was something he didn't want to touch on. Not with how drunk he had gotten, anyway. Didn't want to ruin the night and all that.

"Hey," Durbe said. "Did you really live through what they put people through? The torture, I mean."

God, he was drunk. He was a terrible conversationalist when drunk.

"Yeah," Nasch replied. "Got the scar and everything."

He shifted in his chair and pulled his hair out of the way to show Durbe the part of the scar that was visible above the collar of his nightshirt.

"Still hurts too," Nasch added. "All the fucking time."

"Damn," Durbe said.

Things fell silent for a while until Nasch finished his drink and placed the glass on the floor next to him. Durbe thought of everything he heard about the torture the people of Donasus put the Pelians through. The public humiliation and pain. He couldn’t imagine the amount of blood that poured out of the massive cut along Nasch's spine. 

Durbe clutched his empty glass like his life depended on it. He had never gotten this drunk this fast and it scared him. Was he going to be okay?

He was dizzy and felt nausea creep up on him far too quickly.

_‘When did it get this hot in here?’_

"You're pale," he heard Nasch say. “You alright?"

"Do you have water or something?"

"Yeah, give me a minute."

He heard Nasch shuffle out of his chair and take a few moments to steady himself before he walked across the room. The room spun and he tried his best to focus on the stones that formed the fireplace because they were stationery but it didn’t work. They seemed to spin too. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back in the chair which made things even worse. 

Before he knew it, Nasch pulled the empty glass out of his hands and handed him another, larger one full of water.

"Sip it slowly. I don't want you getting sick," he told him.

Durbe did as he was told and held cool water in his mouth for a bit before he swallowed it down. He took his time and watched Nasch move about the room and open the windows and prop open the balcony doors to bring some sort of sea breeze in. As soon as the cool air from outside hit his face, the majority of his nausea faded. The room still spun, just not as bad. It was more of a pleasant, floaty sort of spin. If such a thing existed.

"Fuck," Durbe said under his breath. He ran his hand through his hair and held it there for a bit.

"You alright?" Nasch asked.

"Fine. Just scared myself."

Nasch laughed. It was more of a high-pitched squeak. At least Durbe wasn't the only person drunk in the room. He found himself laughing too. After their laughter died down Durbe found his mind defogged itself enough to think. Nothing major, just simple thoughts.

Next time, he wouldn't drink his whiskey so quick.

Next time, he'd focus more on Nasch's drunken laugh. It was pretty funny, after all.

The Prince had a heavenly smile.

He said he liked men, didn't he?

Wait.

No.

Durbe shifted in his seat and crossed his legs. Suddenly the plush armchair wasn't comfortable anymore and seated was not a position he wanted to be in. He drank the rest of his water and placed the empty glass down on the floor and out of the way so he wouldn’t kick it.

It was here he noticed Nasch was rambling on about something he had most definitely not been listening to.

"-never had one. Say Durbe, what's the latest gossip about me around the palace?"

"About you? Not much I suppose. The gay thing was certainly not in any of the stuff I've heard."

"Yeah but what have you heard? Anything good?" The prince seemed excited. His eyes lit up in a certain way that Durbe was sure he'd never forget if he even remembered it in the morning.

"There was the thing about you faking your injury but that's the best I've heard to be honest," Durbe replied.

Nasch scoffed. "That's no fucking fun."

"No fucking fun?" Durbe laughed. "Trust me, plenty of rumors will start circulating soon enough."

"You sound like you speak from experience," Nasch said.

"You heard the one about my mom's ashes?"

"The one where you talk to them?"

"That's one of them. That's true too. Sometimes I feel like she's still here, you know."

"I get that. I wish we hadn't scattered all of my pops to be honest. It's comforting knowing that some part of them is there."

"Your dad is alive though."

"No, no, my grandfather. I called him pops."

Durbe hummed in acknowledgement. He shifted his position again and straightened his back slightly in an attempt to crack it which failed. There was another lull in the conversation and Durbe found his mind wandering again in some of the worst possible ways.

Nasch’s eyes were an amazing blue, weren’t they?

How scandalous would it be if he managed to bed the prince?

His longer hair probably made it easier to pull and pound him into the bed.

Fuck, that would be nice.

Nasch might have had experience with men but he'd never been in bed with one himself. It might just be something worth trying. Just for one night at least.

At this point, getting Nasch to sleep with him went from a simple thought to a goal. He wondered if he'd actually succeed. He needed some way to turn the conversation in his favor first. It was here that he remembered Nasch turned his ring as a sign he wanted some “attention”.

"Say, that thing where you turn your ring. How does it work?" Durbe asked.

"We'll, it's a thing that people with status do. It's kind of a secret code thing? I don't know. Keeps things under the radar. Like if you see someone turn their ring, you don’t mention it and if you sleep with someone you act like it never happened unless it happens again. No one wants to damage their reputation."

Nasch shifted in his chair so he was facing Durbe and he did the same. 

"You have to lock eyes with the person and make sure they see you turn your ring backwards, pattern facing in and all that. If they notice and are interested, they'll do the same."

Durbe noticed Nasch was going through the motions of this. This could be his chance.

Nasch turned his ring so that the golden pattern and gem in the center now faced the direction of the palm of his hand.

"So that way when you extend your hand for-"

As soon as Nasch extended his hand, Durbe grabbed it tightly and pulled the Prince into a frenzy of desperate kisses, effectively cutting him off and silencing him. He found Nasch to be a delightfully good kisser once he settled past the shock of having his First Knight pull him abruptly into it. 

Durbe pulled away slightly but stayed close "So what do you say, Prince?" He whispered

"You sure? This is a bit… uh-"

"Scandalous? Improper? Immoral?"

"All of those things," Nasch chuckled. He stood from his chair and moved in front of Durbe. He straddled his waist and made himself comfortable before he sat in his lap. "But I guess that's what makes this so much fun." 

Nasch leaned in and began to kiss Durbe again, this time harder than before. He wrapped his arms loosely around his shoulders and intertwined his fingers behind his neck while durbe wrapped his arms around Nasch's waist. He pulled him closer to himself and positively drowned in the moment. He never imagined he'd find any man in his lap, let alone the new Prince of the Seven United Lands. Well, soon-to-be united.

Nasch kissed him with an expertise he didn't know the young man had. He tasted of whiskey and normallybDurbe couldn't stand the taste of alcohol on his lover's lips and tongue. But this time it was divine, more enticing even. He held onto Nasch tighter and nipped carefully at his lower lip, as not to leave any sort of evidence of their activities.

Nasch began unfastening the buttons on Durbe's vest and dress shirt. When he realized he was too drunk to fiddle with them, Durbe swatted his hands away and took over. He quickly discarded both his vest and shirt somewhere on the floor to be discovered at a later time. Nasch pressed a hand flat and centered on his chest and took a moment to admire him. His muscles were finely sculpted from numerous hours in the sparring room. Nasch noticed and ran his thumb over the crease in his skin his pectoral muscles created across his chest. Durbe couldn't help but sigh and pull Nasch down again into another frenzy of kisses.

It felt like a dream but it was most certainly real. Nasch was in his lap and kissing him open-mouthed and desperate. Durbe took his hands and placed them firmly on Nasch's hips. He let his thumbs dip into the waistband of his slacks before he decided getting rid of them entirely was a good idea.

He pulled down on them as much as he could without their position getting in the way and noticed Nasch awkwardly stand and shuffle out of them. He sat back down in Durbe’s lap and started kissing his neck slowly, far too slowly.

Fuck, Durbe was so drunk.

The world spun as he took Nasch’s cock in his hand. He gripped it tightly and started stroking him slowly. He heard him moan softly and felt as he settled down completely in Durbe's lap. He watched Nasch face as his eyes fell half-closed and he looked down in his lap to Durbe’s hand.

"Fuck," Nasch sighed. “A little faster.”

Durbe oblige."Didn't know how much you needed this?" Durbe asked him with a smirk.

"God yeah," Nasch replied.

Desperation fell thick in the air between them until it was almost unbearable. Durbe’s wrist was tiring out but neither of them wanted to move away from each other.

"Bed?" Nasch asked.

Durbe replied in the best way he could. He wrapped his arms tightly around Nasch's waist and picked him up, kissing him as he did so. He carried him over to the bed halfway across the room and sat him down on the edge. He placed a hand flat on Nasch’s chest and pushed him down onto it. He took this time to unfasten his own belt and trousers. 

"I feel like now might be the time to tell you that I've never done anything like this with a man," Durbe chuckled.

Nasch looked understandably surprised. "That's alright," he said. "I'll talk you through it. That is if you still want to do this."

"I do. I just-... Have so many questions."

Durbe chuckled unintentionally at the end of his statement. He leaned in and took his place over top of the Prince. Nasch took his face in his hands and pressed their foreheads together.

"You're so fucking drunk," the prince laughed.

"Been a long time since I've been this far gone."

"I can tell."

Nasch pulled Durbe down by his shirt and collided their lips together again. Durbe could hardly believe he managed to get this far and that this was how the night was going to end. He was pleasantly surprised that Nasch was willing to lead him through this too. Although, he was still sure there would be an awkward moment or two. Time would tell if either of them remembered it in the morning.

"About those questions," Nasch whispered.

"Where do I start?" Durbe asked.

"With what?”

"Compare it to laying with a woman."

"I wouldn't fucking know," Nasch laughed. "Never had one in my bed."

Durbe was slightly taken aback by this. "Never had a woman? The Prince of the Seven United Lands has never had a woman?"

"Never even held hands with one," Nasch grumbled. He turned his reddening face to the side with embarrassment only for Durbe to turn it back towards him and kiss his lips softly. “I’ve known about this since I was little, Durbe.”

"Then-... I don't know. Just-"

"Just what? Just ask me."

Durbe sighed. He had a few questions about being intimate with a man. Some of which were more embarrassing than others. He knew general things just from jokes and all that but never bothered to see what was fact and what was fiction. 

He sighed. "Is there penetration?" He asked.

"There can be," Nasch replied with a chuckle. "I find it quite pleasurable."

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Not if I prepare myself correctly," Nasch chuckled.

"How do you know?"

"If it hurts when you put it in, it wasn't enough."

Durbe laughed a little harder than he should have at this. "Fair enough."

Durbe barely had a chance to think about his next move before Nasch's hands unfastened his trousers and pulled his cock free. Durbe gasped and struggled to keep himself up.

"Lay down," Nasch told him.

He did. He moved off of Nasch and climbed fully onto the bed. He tucked a pillow under his head and watched Nasch as removed his last article of clothing and threw it across the room. Nasch hardly wasted a second and pulled Durbe's trousers completely off and threw them in the direction of his nightshirt. He then moved his head down and took Durbe's cock into his mouth.

Durbe hadn't planned to moan as loud as he did and felt slightly embarrassed about it. He thought about covering his mouth but decided against it. Nasch bobbed his head up and down slowly taking in only what he could at the moment. He swirled his tongue around the head of it and Durbe moaned again. Nasch pulled away but didn't take his attention from Durbe's cock. He wrapped a hand around it tightly and stroked him quickly.

"You like that, don't you?" Nasch asked.

"Yes," Durbe said.

It was all he could manage to say before Nasch abruptly put his head back down and took his cock in his mouth once more. Durbe noticed him gag slightly but didn't plan on mentioning it. It was apparent that Nasch knew what he was doing and did it well. He lifted his head slightly and wrapped a tight hand around the base. He moved it in tandem with his mouth.

Durbe noticed here that Nasch's hair was getting in his way. He pulled the strands back for the Prince and held them with one hand in a closed fist. He could have sworn he was grabbing too tight but he could have sworn he heard Nasch moan.

He really did like his hair pulled. This was something Durbe knew he needed to remember. He pulled Nasch off of his cock by his hair and pulled him up towards him.

"You're going to make me cum if you keep going." Durbe said. He closed his eyes and leaned back into the pillows more.

"Who says that wasn't my plan?" Nasch replied.

Durbe kissed him quickly. "Too early for that. We still have more to get on to."

"You're sure you want to? You said you've never done this with a man before," Nasch asked him.

"Positive. Just talk me through it."

Nasch smirked. "How much are you willing to do?"

"All of it provided you have patience for me."

Nasch kissed him again. "This could be a very interesting night."

Nasch broke the kiss and leaned over so he could rummage through his nightstand. He swore at himself for having too many things in there as he did so. After a few moments, he held a small, white jug in his hand, some sort of lubricant presumably. Durbe found himself growing more excited. Everything felt so new and yet so similar. It was odd, really. He watched Nasch pull his trousers down to his mid thigh but not bother to take them fully off. Interesting choice.

Nasch popped the cork on the jug and poured a generous amount of oil on his fingers. He accidentally spilled some on Durbe's bare stomach and apologized as whipped it off with the back of one hand.. Durbe laughed, god they were still so drunk.

Once Nasch had coated three of his fingers with the oil, he leaned down to kiss Durbe as he prepared himself. He felt Nasch moan into the kiss as he slipped one of his fingers inside himself. He worked quickly and Durbe was more impressed at his multitasking skills than anything else. Once Nasch eventually decided that enough was enough, he reached for the container again and poured a fair amount of oil in the palm of his hand. He took Durbe's cock in his hand to coat it thoroughly.

"To make things easier," Nasch said.

Durbe swore under his breath. Everything felt so much better now that he was thoroughly intoxicated. If he wasn't careful he could ruin a perfectly good night in a matter of seconds.

Just when he was about to pull Nasch's hand off of him, he did it himself. He moved over him and situated himself into a somewhat comfortable position, kneeling over Durbe's cock. He took it back in his hand towards the head of it and guided it inside of himself as he moved down slowly. Agonizingly slowly.

Nasch took a sharp breath in. "Fuck. You're thick," he said.

Durbe barely heard him though. He placed his hands on Nasch's hips and glanced down to watch the Prince take all of him in. He hesitated, supposedly getting used to the feeling, and placed a hand on Durbe's chest to steady himself as he started to move his hips up and down slowly.

He quickly closed his eyes. Everything felt like a dream. He was in bed with the Prince of the Seven United Lands in his lap. This was never supposed to happen. It never should have happened.

Durbe almost felt guilty but any and all normal emotions were washed away as Nasch picked up speed. 

"You like this more than you're letting on," Nasch said from above him.

Durbe couldn't manage a reply. He let Nasch have his fun for a little longer before he got a better idea. He stopped him and pushed him off.  "On your knees," he growled.

Nasch did as he was told. He turned around and bent over on all fours. Durbe grabbed his hips and pulled him roughly back towards him. 

"You want more?" He asked, mockingly.

"Please."

"Beg for it."

"I hate begging."

"Do you want more or not?"

Nasch let out a whine and looked back at Durbe desperately. He wanted this. That much was obvious. 

"Please Daddy," Nasch finally whined.

_'Did he just-"_

Durbe was slightly taken aback by Nasch’s frustrated plea. It's not like it was unpleasant, just uncalled for. Then again, no one ever called him _that_. Now was not the time to decide. He had other matters to attend to.

"Louder," Durbe commanded. 

He positioned himself and waited. If this was what the Prince wanted, he could run with it. After all, it was somewhat arousing to be called ‘daddy’ in bed. This was something he never thought he’d ever have to admit

"Give me more. I need you."

"What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Fuck me, daddy."

Durbe entered him hard and fast and didn't hesitate to pick up the pace. Nasch let out a moan and a colorful string of curse words. Durbe figured now was as good a time as any to test another theory. He reached forward and grabbed a fistful of Nasch’s hair and pulled hard towards himself. He heard Nasch gasp and felt him arch his back a little more than before.

“Right there, daddy,” Nasch moaned.

Durbe kept up his pace. He had no Earthly idea how, but he did. He held Nasch's hair tighter and placed a hand on his shoulder so he could pull him back harder. Nasch shifted most of his weight to his left arm and reached down. He took how own cock in his hand and stroked himself roughly to bring himself closer to the edge.

Durbe delighted in the loud moans coming from the man under him. He wanted more.

He _needed_ more.

He-

"I'm gonna come," Nasch cried out.

Oh fuck, he was close, wasn't he?

Nasch's walls tightened agonizingly around him as he came hard. The arm he had supporting himself trembled and gave way, pressing Nasch's face and chest into the mattress. Durbe let go of his shoulder and hair and moved his hands back to the Prince's hips until he felt dangerously close. He debated on stopping for a bit to shift his own position to buy himself some time and bring him farther away from the edge. He decided against, it figuring Nasch was more than spent at this point. He swore under his breath and buried himself deep inside of Nasch as he finished. He pulled out slowly after a few moments and sat on his knees while Nasch favored to simply lay where he already was.

Durbe ran a hand through his own hair and sighed.

"You alright?" He asked.

"Mhmm," Nasch replied. He picked himself up off the mattress and sat up slowly. He attempted to stretch but put his arms down slowly as if he were in pain.

"You sure you're alright?"

"I was so caught up in the moment I forgot about my back," Nasch chuckled. "I have to be careful with that."

The effects of the alcohol were fading, leaving exhaustion behind along with the beginnings of a massive headache. Durbe shut his eyes tightly and placed the palm of his hand flat on his forehead. He felt Nasch move on the bed and heard the open and close of one of the nightstand drawers. He opened his eyes to find Nasch offered him a clean, dry washcloth. 

"I have a basin of water behind the partition," Nasch said with a smile and a chuckle  "Go wash off."

Durbe nodded and rose slowly from the bed. He cleaned himself quickly and returned to the bed to find Nasch had lit an oil lamp and turned it down low. The Prince now laid in bed under the blankets. Durbe looked at him and despite the fact that it was a glorious sight, he couldn't help but feel particularly shamefully about what he had just done.

Yes, he made the first move. No, he didn't quite regret what he'd done but that didn't save himself from being particularly embarrassed about the lead activities he partook in with none other than the new Prince.

_'Oh god.'_

He felt embarrassed as he walked back towards the bed nude. He saw Nasch look at him intently as if he were savoring the sight of his soon-to-be First Knight. 

"You're more than welcome to stay the night in here. It might be slightly hard to explain if someone catches you stumbling out of here."

"Right," Durbe sighed.

He wanted nothing more than to curl up in his own bed down the hall but Nasch was right. Due to the insane amount of people in the palace for the next day or two, guard activity was heightened and even placed in the Royal Halls despite the Prince's previous requests.

He climbed into bed next to Nasch, laid on his back, and closed his eyes. Nasch moved towards him and laid his head on Durbe's chest. He sighed and relaxed as Durbe wrapped his arms around him.

"I have a question for you," Durbe whispered.

"That would be?"

"Did you really call me 'daddy'?"

Nasch chuckled nervously. "Force of habit," he replied.

This, most definitely was not how Durbe intended the night to end. Despite the worsening guilt he felt pooling in his chest, he couldn't deny there was something warm about this moment. After all, how many people decided to let someone stay after a one-night stand?

And how many people feel comfortable enough to even lay their head on a stranger's chest?


End file.
